Tutorial: Direct-Ascent Mun Landing

Direct-Ascent Mün Landing Tutorial

This method for traveling the Mün is simpler and does not require setting up orbit around Kerbin. It is simply blasting straight up until you reach the Mün's SOI.

Steps

Build Your Rocket

It needs enough Delta-∆ to launch a lander 12 million meters straight up with a little more for setting up orbit. Besides that limitation, build to your hearts content! Just remember to test your design for flaws, (e.g., accidentally decoupling 2 stages at once.)

Wait it out

After you have built, saved, and tested your rocket and lander, go to the tracking station and timewarp until the moon is approximately 45˚ behind the space center. You may want to have your moon rocket already on the launchpad as a marker.

Launch!

If you don't already have your rocket on the launchpad, launch it. Then simply burn straight up until you encounter the Mün's SOI. Then cut the engine and timewarp to the encounter point. While your apoapsis gets higher, you might notice that the path will not be perfectly straight up. This is due to the rotation of Kerbin. This needs no correction, but burning slightly west should nullify the effect.

Final Steps and Landing

When the rocket reaches the encounter point, set up orbit around the Mün to avoid landing on the dark side, which is much harder. Finally, deorbit the lander so it will land on the light side, and land.